5 Ways to Go to This Summer’s Best Concerts for FREE

Pull out your band tees and get your hustle on, because it’s finally music festival season. Better yet, there are a lot of ways you can check out the summer’s hottest concerts and festivals without paying a dime. Without the worry of a hefty ticket price tag, you can focus on buying a killer festival wardrobe and a music festival blanket to keep you cozy in between performances. Check out these five tried-and-true ways to get free admission to summer music festivals.

1. Trade elbow grease for tickets. The old “nothing in life is free” adage crops up here, but putting a little work into your concert experience could be totally worth it. Though the competition is getting tougher each year, Bonnaroo still offers opportunities to volunteer in exchange for tickets. You have to put down a deposit, but you’ll get your money back at the end of the festival if you follow through with your obligations. Plus, you’ll meet cool people who are passionate about music too. Several other festivals, like Hangout, Outside Lands and SXSW give volunteers perks in exchange for work. Another option is working weekend shifts at concert venues. Sure, you might be busting your butt at your main job already, but getting tickets to a Beyoncé concert might be well worth the extra hours.

2. Enter every drawing possible. If you have an email address, you can enter. Sites like #freeconcerts are totally on our favorites tab. They have tickets for some of the best shows (um, hey Ellie Goulding), and all you have to do is enter the drawing. We’re not saying use your family to help you, but upping your odds isn’t exactly a crime.

3. Follow local radio stations and music stores in your area on Instagram. Chances are you’ve got some live shows happening in your area year round, and they actually want people to come. Free tickets are out there — like this show on social media right now. Follow your local radio stations and music stores to find out when they’re giving away free tickets… and then get them. Be the first to show up and you could score yourself splash-zone seats. Totally gross when you think about it, but in the moment? Hell yes.

4. Don’t be stingy with your minutes. Radio stations LOVE giving away tickets. It’s a thing for them. So on your way home from work, go totally old school and actually turn on your local station to listen for ticket promotions. Use the calling feature on your phone — I know, crazy right? — and call in to win. You’d be surprised how little people do this anymore and how good your chances are.

5. Attend free concerts. Duh. Wherever you live, there will most likely be free concerts. Whether they’re at a block party or a benefit, they do exist. Ask your local outdoor venues for their lineups and try out the no-names — they might be hits next year. If you’re looking to get out of town, plan for the Form Arcosanti Festival featuring Skrillex, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend featuring Coldplay or Danube Island Festival for a big festival experience. The travel costs sort of cancel out the fact that the shows are free, but hey, it’s a pretty great incentive to get your wanderlust on.

What are your hacks for getting freebies to festivals? Tweet us @BritandCo.

(Photos via Getty)

Step up your style game! Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of Brit + Co fashion and content delivered to your inbox